Mermaid's Tears
by Minerva Nargles
Summary: One mermaid watched him almost every day, heart trembling and arms yearning to hold him close, lips wanting to feel the warmth of his. Haruka/Mermaid OC Listen to Mermaid's Tears by Jeff Victor


**I do not own Free! or mermaid mythology, I only kind of own the plot (or what little of the plot there is). In Japanese mythology Benten was a sea goddess, giver of wealth and romantic happiness, and the protector of sailors and children. She was also the goddess of eloquence. She is one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan. Shedding the tail was, kind of, taken from the Scottish myth The Mermaid Wife (there was also a movie about it). Well, there are lots of different myths mashed together in this little fic. Enjoy.**

In the depths of dark sea waters, something moved. It gracefully swam against the current, green tail twisting and turning. That was not strange but if you looked further, you would notice something different- a pale skinned torso of a human woman. That was strange because mermaids are not supposed to exist, right? They were just mythological creatures, right?

Well, guess again.

This mermaid was real, flesh and bone person (for a lack of a better word), and she was doing what she enjoyed the most- swimming, like every other one of her people. She was a fast, elegant black haired beauty, perfect for tempting men to dive to their deaths. Her aquamarine eyes glittered as she swam closer to the surface, brighter and brighter until they reached their full shine when she broke through.

Seeing a rock, she swam to it then raised herself to enjoy rays of the sun on her skin and scales. Boats and ships often entered her field of vision but they were far from her as she sat there. Then her briliant eyes perked up. He was there again, running to the salty water as he shed clothes. He was a human, black haired and eyes the color of the deep sea and he loved water more than anything.

And, for a human, he was beautiful.

Our mermaid watched him almost every day, heart trembling and arms yearning to pull him closer and lips wanting to feel the warmth of his. It was a strange, unknown, urge she felt, considering she usually felt the need to drown men.

As she watched and pondered over her newfound emotions, the black haired man went underwater and she jumped in. Her tail and arms propelled her forward to the human, panic seizing her racing heartwhen she noticed a fisherman's net wrapped tightly around his feet and lower calves. Not thinking, she rushed to him, grabbed the net and started breaking the strings with her shark like teeth. She did not notice he man gaze at her in wonder, blue eyes awed.

Breaking the last string, the mermaid pushed them both up to the air, arms about the man's waist. Once they broke the surface, she looked-for the first time-in his eyes closely.

"Okay?" He whispered, gently placing his hands on her heart shaped face.

"Yes." Her voice was like the sound of soft waves breaking against the rocks, like taht sound from the shells."You?"

"Yeah." He breathed, blue orbs scanning her face. "I'm Haru and you're... You're a mermaid."

"My name is" the mermaid introduced herself, using the name given to her by the sea itself.

"Sounds like a dolphin."

"Oh. Maybe, maybe you could give me one." Shyly, she murmured, looking away from him.

"Benten." Haru blurted, blushing slightly. "She is a goddess."

"Benten." the mermaid repeated, smiling wide enough for her pointed teeth to peek out. "I like it."

~F~

Day after day, our mermaid (now called Benten) and Haru would meet and talk about anything and everything. Benten found out a lot about Haru and his friends- even seen them from afar.

They fell in love and wanted to be together so Benten decided to reveal a secret.

"I can remove the tail. Well, it falls off like a fabric during the night of the Blue Moon." Benten said as she caressed the face of the blue eyed man. "The night of Blue Moon is a few days away."

"What?"

"I'll give up the sea to be with you."

Blue Moon came and Haru was with Benten, lounging on the beach as they waited for the rare, second Full Moon's rays touch her. And, when the moon beams connected with her, the tail fell away in a pile of glittering green fabric.

Haruka and Benten spent a lot of their time together on surface, holding each other, loving each other and hanging out with Haruka's crazy friends. Benten also discovered a fellow merman- or, rather, a man whose mother or father did the same thing she did (his sister didn't take after the merpeople though).

~F~

Years passed and Haruka and Benten got married on the day she saved him from the net. The wedding took place at a beach with waves creating a symphony for their ears.

Ten years passed and Haruka was in his mid-thirties, still very much in love and a father. Benten had a few wrinkles on her face, wrinkles made from smiling so much.

But, for the last few years, Benten has started feeling the call, the shout from her mother- the sea. She ignored it as much as possible and paid all attention to her husband and son.

Then Haruka was caught in the sea during the storm and Benten could do nothing to save him. His death broke her far more than anything else could.

And The Call only became stronger, pulling on the soul of her Siren's song- _Come, my child, I will love you and erase your pains._

Benten, no longer able to resist the urge, left her little Kai with Haruka and her closest friend, Makoto, took the green fabric that was her tail.

She wrapped the fabric around her legs, from hips to toes and jumped in the water. The tail came back immediately.

But, Benten was still unhappy. She wanted her son, her brave little boy. She wanted Haruka and his eyes shining as they lay beneath the stars.

~F~

"Mako-chan,"a small, black haired and aquamarine eyed boy started. "Why is the sea salty?"

"Because, Kai" Makoto Tachibana went to answer, voice catching at the sight of Benten's face just above the water. "Those are mermaids tears."

"Oh." The boy grinned, showing off his pointed teeth. "Can you tell me a story now?"

"Which one?"

"About mom and dad, of course."

Makoto gave a droopy eyed grin to the boy as he started the tale of Haruka and Benten. Neither noticed Benten dissolving into sea foam as the last rays of the sun touched her skin.


End file.
